Where should the cho really be?

[Bill Martino]

I emailed BirGorkha and asked them about the possibility of moving the cho closer to the handle. The kamis were dead set against it. They argued that the cho was a blood drip to keep the blood from running down the blade and onto the handle and maintained that the closer it is to the handle the more likely the bloood is to get onto the handle. I guess they think our major use of the khukuri is knifefighting. I countered by asking for ten pieces with close cho and informed them that customers were asking for this modification and reminded them that it was our customers who paid their wages.

We'll see how this all plays out.

You gotta love the kamis. They have a logic all their own.

 

[Daniel Koster]

Sounds like progress to me, Bill. **two thumbs up**

Maybe we can tackle a few others - as time/energy allows:

1 - Cho creep (in progress)
2 - Habaki bolster - needs to cover blade, not tang
3 - Convex grind
4 - ???

 

[Josh Feltman]

Uncle Bill--perhaps you could tell the kamis that most of our foes are made of wood, so blood isn't really a huge concern I'm curious to see what comes of your request.

--Josh

 

[Yvsa]

I sure hope this comes to fruition!

 

[Ferrous Wheel]

"that the cho was a blood drip to keep the blood from running down the blade and onto the handle"--Ya heard it from the kamis--the true purpose of the cho!

 

[crooked knife]

All right! Reserve one of the those pieces for me, at least one.

 

[DannyinJapan]

I like the cho where it is, but the historical pieces do seem to have it a tad closer to the tang.
Just 1/4" closer would be great.
Of course, Rod and JP would know best.

 

[ddean]

My fingers are crossed that cho creep is reversed.

........and my toes are crossed---
that they don't do something . . . s t r a n g e
to accomodate the blade markings
if the cho moves back toward the bolster.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Next, the "cho-tiped khukuri."

 

[Ferrous Wheel]

I dunno... I thinK all the characters would look pretty kool on the spine,
alphabet soup from a few languages and some symbols too..

Keith

 

[Semper Fi]

Most of the blood on my K's stop at the cho so the kamis know of what they speak. My handles stay clean so I can appreciate this feature.

Unfortunately the blood is mine so I don't really care where the cho is placed. I do think Uncle Bill should include a box of bandaids with each new khuk though.

 

[Drdan]

If the Kamis don't give in to your request, Uncle Bill, perhaps they can use a "smiley face" cho, and leave the cho where it is. We forumites will feel a lot better.

Dan

 

[Rio Jim]

The closer it is to the handle the more likely the tree sap will ooze down the blade and drip onto the handle.

 

[Chopsticks]

I think the cho looks best when about a centimeter away from the handle... Just my opinion... Add a nice convex edge too and it'd be perfect.

 

[Drdan]

I think the cho looks best when about a centimeter away from the handle... Just my opinion... Add a nice convex edge too and it'd be perfect.

I agree!

Dan

 

[yoippari]

Could you explain something to me. I have no experiance with having enough blood on a blade for it to run down it but bear with me.If the cho will stop blood from reaching the handle an inch from the bolster, then why won't it stop the blood at half an inch from the bolster?

 

[Drdan]

That would be a good question for the kamis, yoippari!

Dan

 

[christcl]

I got an idea. How about a compromise? How about there be no cho at all, so the kamis can be even more lazy and just not deal with the silly thing, and so that we don't have to complain about the cho being too far away and making the khukuri look ugly. Besides, that means the kamis have more time to make more and we'll have an inch or so extra inch of cutting edge.

Hehe, sorry about being a smart a--, I couldn't help it. Yup, I'm a fan of the closer cho.

 

[johntrout]

Not to be a cynic but what is the real reason that cho creep started in the first place? I'm sure the Kamis know where it is traditionally placed. Is it a time/labor saving issue? Less blade area to grind and harden? If this is the case I can see why the Kamis are resistant...

 

[Mr.BadExample]

If the Kamis don't give in to your request, Uncle Bill, perhaps they can use a "smiley face" cho, and leave the cho where it is. We forumites will feel a lot better.

Dan

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